Mine For Forever
by Crazylioness21
Summary: Summary: After many years of waiting, vampire Draco Malfoy finds his lifemate in the most peculiar of places. AU
1. To Find Him

_Summary: After many years of waiting, vampire Draco Malfoy finds his lifemate in the most peculiar of places. AU_

A young man was crouched in a tree watching a boy below. He had pale blonde hair that fell just past his ears and startling grey eyes that stood out against his pale skin. He appeared to be in his early twenties. He stayed perfectly still as he watched the boy below him. The boy appeared to be 15 or 16 and was quite small for his age, which wasn't helped by the fact he was wearing clothes much too large for his small frame. He sat reading a book beneath the tree, quite oblivious to the fact he was being watched. Soft black hair fell to his shoulders. Bright green eyes contrasted against his tan skin.

The blonde boy breathed for the first time since he had begun to watch the smaller boy. As the overwhelming smell of vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon once again assaulted his nose, he knew that he was not mistaken. The beautiful boy below him was definitely his lifemate. He was careful not to breathe again as he continued to watch the raven-haired boy below him. He wasn't sure that he would be able to control himself he inhaled much more of his lifemate's scent. He had been waiting for so long. Silently, he pondered how best to explain things to his little naïve little lifemate.

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Harry Potter sat quietly reading a book beneath a tree in the forest a few miles from hi uncle's manor. He sighed, knowing he would have to return soon, before his relatives noticed his disappearance. The speed at which he had tended the manor's gardens had bought him a little bit of time to himself, but he still had to mop the ballroom of the manor for the ball his relatives were hosting tonight, as well as make sure everything was presentable and help in the kitchens. He was thankful that his relatives were embarrassed by him, so that he didn't have to serve at the ball tonight. The guests were sure to be rich and snobbish, much like his relatives.

He slowly got up, brushing off his pants before heading back to the manor. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched, but also could not locate the source of that feeling. He crept into the manor, trying to avoid running into anyone. He placed the book in the small room under the grand stairway where he slept. If his relatives caught him with one of their books, he would be punished for sure, despite the fact that they never read them. They probably didn't even know that the cook had taught him how to read when he was younger.

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Draco Malfoy continued to stalk his lifemate with inhuman stealth. He was surprised as the raven-haired boy approached the large manor at the edge of the woods. Apparently his lifemate was from a wealthy family. What did surprise him though was how the boy seemed to sneak into the manor. Why would he have to sneak into his own house? Perhaps his lifemate was a thief? No, that didn't make sense either. He wasn't carrying a bag or anything to put stolen goods into, and what thief would bring a book along? No, he definitely lived there. Finding a large oak tree in one of the large gardens, Draco climbed up into it to wait and observe. Perhaps he could learn more about the strange raven-haired boy whose scent attracted him so.

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Harry entered the vast ballroom with his mop and pail and set to work. His uncle's guests were set to arrive in four hours, so he figured that he had plenty of time to mop and for the floor to dry. He still had to polish the statues in the entrance hall and ballroom when he finished, and then help out in the kitchens. He was about half way done when his uncle stormed in.

"Boy!" His whale of an uncle shouted, spittle flying across the freshly mopped floor. "Why aren't you done? The guests are set to arrive in a few hours and you haven't even finished mopping! We feed you and clothe you and you can't even finish a few simple chores! You worthless piece of scum!" At this point, his uncle Vernon backhanded him across the face, sending him sprawling backwards, still clutching the mop. His uncle continued to rant, kicking Harry in the stomach before kicking over the pail of water as well. "Clean this up and hurry up!" With this he stormed out.

Harry carefully picked himself up off of the floor, wincing slightly. Yep, his ribs were definitely going to bruise. At least nothing seemed to be broken. He sighed as he cleaned up the water and went to fetch more to finish mopping the floor. He snorted softly. Clothed and fed him? All of his clothes were hand-me-downs from his cousin or the other servants and they were all far too big for him. The Dursleys also only let him eat scraps and continually starved him as punishment, if he did something wrong. If the cook didn't sneak him food, he would have starved long ago.

He finished mopping and polished all the statues in the ballroom until they shone. He had just started on the ones in the entranceway when his aunt came in. "Boy! Hurry up! The guests will be arriving soon and you still have to polish the grand staircase!" With that she rushed out, muttering about flower arrangements. The grand staircase! They hadn't even mentioned that today. He would have to hurry. To polish the massive wooden staircase properly would take hours. Hours he didn't have. However, if he didn't listen to his aunt and his uncle found out – Harry shivered. He didn't even want to imagine what would happen. He would be beaten – bad. Possibly locked in his cupboard for a week without food.

In the end he polished the railings and mopped the stairs. Hopefully his aunt wouldn't notice that the stairs weren't polished. He ran off to the kitchen to help the cook as the guests would be arriving any minute.

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Draco's curiosity was piqued as he watched a number of elegant horse drawn carriages begin to arrive at the manor. The dress of the guests suggested that some kind of banquet was going on. It was the perfect cover to slip inside and learn more about his lifemate.


	2. To Follow Him

_Here is the second chapter of Mine For Forever. I shall be updating it on Mondays (Canada) weekly. If for some reason I have to change this, I'll let you guys know. I know the chapters are short, but if you've read any of my other fics, you know that I'm only comfortable writing chapters about 1000-1500 words long right now. I hope this will change as I improve as a writer, but for now this will have to do._

As Harry entered the kitchen he was met with the sight of the cook busily preparing the huge meal. Her helpers were gathered around her, preparing various dishes for the manor's hundred guests. Cook herself was a matronly looking woman, plump and kind. Her name was Molly Weasley, but the Dursleys stubbornly refused to call her anything but her title. Her daughter, Ginny, helped her. She had a total of seven children, but most of them were grown and did not work at the manor. Her husband, Arthur, was the Dursleys butler, and Ron, her youngest son, was a server for the Dursleys balls.

Harry was the only servant in the manor in charge of cleaning, which made it a never-ending chore. He also did most of the work in the manor's extensive gardens. However, sometimes the Dursleys hired a gardener, Neville Longbottom, but they preferred to force their nephew to do as much as possible.

"Harry dear," Molly greeted, "I'm afraid that you are going to have to serve drinks tonight. Ron's fallen ill and Seamus has his hands full with the food." Seamus was the Dursleys other server. He didn't actually live in the manor, but the nearby town and he only helped when the Dursleys hosted something big, such as tonight.

Harry was nervous. He didn't know how to serve. His uncle would not be happy with this development. He preferred to pretend that Harry didn't exist unless he needed a punching bag.

"Harry dear. Change into some of Ron's clothes. They'll still be much too big, but at least they are presentable."

And that was how Harry found himself with a tray of champagne glasses wandering through his uncle's guests. He was completely out of his element, even more so than usual. Not only was he incredibly shy, but he was also keeping a sharp eye out for his relatives. He really didn't need a confrontation with his uncle right now.

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As Draco wound his way through the crowd of high-class guests, he kept an eye out for his lifemate. He knew that he was here somewhere, having allowed himself to breathe as he entered the manor. He had immediately recognized the scent of the raven-haired boy.

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A particularly rude guest shoved past Harry, causing him to fall to the floor, spilling his tray everywhere. Several of the glasses shattered, cutting Harry's arms and face as he fell. He quickly picked himself up and began to clean up the mess, apologizing to the guests nearby. They glared down at him, before turning up their noses and stalking off.

Unfortunately, his uncle had heard the crash. Harry could hear his heavy footsteps heading towards him. Harry gathered up what he could. He was going to need a broom and a mop to clean up the rest of the broken glass, and spilt champagne. As his uncle grew closer, Harry noted that the guests had started to drift away to the other side of the room. This was bad. There was no telling what his uncle would do to him with no one around.

Harry glanced up to figure out which direction his uncle was coming from and saw that one guest had remained. The young, blonde man watched Harry strangely, with an intensity that made Harry look away.

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Draco watched the raven-haired boy as he struggled to clean up the mess. He was struggling to control himself. The blood was screaming to him, especially since it was that of his lifemate. He was also overwhelmed by the need to protect the smaller boy and take care of him. He winced at the cuts, but was happy to see that they appeared to be shallow. His thoughts shifted. So his mate was a servant. That explained quite a bit. His behaviour earlier, his clothes, the fact he had to sneak off to read.

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"Boy!" His uncle hissed, not wanting to attract the attention of his guests. "What have you done? You are supposed to be in the kitchen!"

"But Ron, I –" Harry started but was immediately interrupted by his uncle.

"No excuses! Clean up this mess and get in your cupboard! I will deal with you later!"

"I'm sorry sir," Vernon said, seeming to notice the blonde man for the first time. "I apologize for my servant's incompetence. He's useless, but I couldn't turn away an orphan to fend for himself."

Harry shook his head softly. His uncle's speech was one he'd heard before. How Vernon had taken in the poor, dense orphan and given him some work and a place to stay. What a hero. No mention of the fact that he had been left with his only relatives when his parents had died and that he wasn't even paid. He quickly escaped to return the tray to the kitchen and clean up the mess before someone slipped in it, getting him into even more trouble.

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Draco listened carefully to the extremely large man. So his lifemate was an orphan. It also didn't sound like this man cared much for him either. Maybe it would be easier to take his little mate with him than he had originally thought.

Vernon paused in his rant. "I'm sorry sir, I'm afraid I don't recognize you, Mister-"

"Malfoy." Draco supplied with an air of superiority. There was no point of an alias, not when his family was so well known. With a man like this, just his name would go a long way.

Vernon paused. Well, he hadn't invited the Malfoy family, but he certainly wasn't going to turn away the heir to one of the most wealthy and secretive families around.

"Well Mr. Malfoy, I hope that you will stay for the feast."

"I'm afraid that I shall have to decline. I have a prior engagement. However, I do wish to discuss that servant with you."

"I assure you sir, that he will be suitably punished-" Vernon began.

"Actually, I would like to discuss taking him off your hands, for a sum of course."


	3. To Take Him

_Here you, chapter 3. A little longer than the last one. See you guys next Monday._

Vernon's eyes widened. Malfoy was willing to pay him to take the brat? Well, this was unexpected. However, it wasn't completely unimagineable. His nephew was rather pretty, if you liked the feminine type. It was likely that a wealthy man such as Malfoy was in the market for a sex slave.

"Why, certainly! However, it woud have to be a substantial amount as he will have to be replaced." Vernon said greedily.

"Of course." Answered Draco. He didn't even want to consider what fate this man thought he was sending the young boy off to. He had gathered from listening to the other guests that he was in the Dursley manor, and Vernon Dursley was known for being a greedy man. He probably thought that Draco only wanted the boy for sex. Although, he had to admit, the thought of taking his beautiful lifemate to bed was extremely appealing.

He quickly made the deal with Vernon, paying the other man what he wanted before he could change his mind. It was a ridiculous amount of money for a servant, but it was mere pennies to Draco. Especially if it meant that after all these years he would finally have his lifemate.

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Harry waited in his dark cupboard for his uncle. He sat on the cot, which held one threadbare blanket. His cousin's hand-me-downs sat in a box under the bed. He owned nothing else. The Dursleys didn't allow him to keep any possessions and had thrown out anything he had ever found or that the Weasleys had ever given him. He had no money either. Soon though, he would be old enough to get out of here and find work somewhere. Just a few more years. He would have to run away, as his relatives would never give up their unpaid servant so easily.

His cupboard door opened suddenly, and he flinched, ready for the blow that was sure to come. "Come on boy, you're leaving."

What? Were the Dursleys kicking him out? That would be a dream come true, not a punishment. However, as he followed his uncle into the entrance hall he noticed the blonde man from earlier standing by the door. No. He uncle couldn't have sold him. But as the blonde man handed his uncle a large amount of money, he realized that that was exactly what his uncle had done.

He started to panic. Sure, living with the Dursleys was awful, but Harry had no delusions as to why a wealthy man would pay that much money for a young boy like him. He would be used a sex slave. And though his relatives had abused him horribly over the years, they had never touched him like that. He was still a virgin for goodness sake!

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Draco heard his lifemate's heart rate spike. The boy was afraid of him. Well, that was an understatement. The boy was terrified. It saddened Draco, but he realized what must be going through the poor boy's head. Well, he would certainly have to dispel those fears soon enough. It wouldn't do to have his lifemate afraid of him.

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Vernon turned to Harry. "This is your new master, Mister Malfoy." He then turned and headed back to the ballroom without so much s saying goodbye to his nephew. Harry stared after him, still trying to decide which would be the worse fate, his new master or the Dursleys.

"Come." The soft, gentle voice of Mr. Malfoy broke into Harry's thoughts. He led Harry to the stable, where a horse was ready for them.

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Draco had asked to borrow one of Mr. Dursley's horses, having told him that he had arrived with another guest. It wasn't a completely believable story, but it was significantly better than telling the man that he had followed his servant to his manor on foot.

Draco mounted the horse and the boy hesitantly got on behind him. He seemed scared to touch Draco without permission so Draco reached back to grab his wrists lightly. The boy flinched slightly at the touch, but allowed Draco to wrap his arms around Draco's waist.

They moved slowly, as it was very dark, but Malfoy manor was only ten miles away, so it didn't take too long. The horse trotted along the path and Draco allowed it to canter along the straighter stretches. He heard his lifemate whimper slightly as he was jostled around. The smoother gait of the canter seemed to cause him less pain. Draco was eager to get the raven-haired boy to the manor to look him over to find out why he was injured and explain things to him. He was also eager to learn more about his lifemate, but it was late, so that would have to wait until tomorrow.

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When they reached Malfoy Manor, Harry couldn't help but stare. The manor was even larger than the Dursleys' and looked foreboding and deserted. The gardens appeared to be overgrown and uncared for in the moonlight and the whole place had a deserted feel. It was almost as if Mr. Malfoy lived in this giant place alone, without even servants.

As unlikely as it seemed, this theory gained more ground as they entered the stable where one lone midnight black horse rested. His master lit at lamp and took care of the Dursley's horse, cooling him off and brushing out his coat. He had stopped Harry when he had moved to do it, for which Harry was grateful. He knew nothing of horses. That had been one thing at his relatives' manor that he had not been responsible for.

He simply watched the gentle way his new master handled the horse. The man seemed kind, but that didn't mean he would be kind to Harry. The silence hung over them, neither of them having said a word since leaving Dursley Manor. After he had finished taking care of the horse, Mr. Malfoy led Harry into the manor, taking the lamp with him. The place was massive, but it was obvious that many of the rooms hadn't been used in a very long time. Harry sighed inwardly. If his new master expected him to clean the place, it would take him weeks! The place was huge! He kept close to Mr. Malfoy, so as not to get lost.

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Draco watched the boy in slight amusement. The manor was definitely intimidating if you were not used to it. He led his raven-haired lifemate to a room across from his own rooms. He wanted to keep the boy near him.

"This is where you will stay tonight. We will discuss things in the morning." Draco longed to say more to his little mate, but he knew that the boy had to be tired.

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Harry hesitantly entered the room and was shocked to find the room beautifully furnished. It was as fine as his cousin's room at the manor. Why would his master give this room to a servant? Harry's mood darkened. His master probably expected him to fulfill his new "duties" here so as not to dirty his own bed with servant filth. He was surprised however when Mr. Malfoy handed him the lamp, nodded and closed the door.

How was he going to find his own rooms in the dark? Harry shrugged, turning back to his room. He stripped down to his underclothes to sleep, carefully folding Ron's clothes. They were all he had. He felt bad, having stolen something from the Weasleys, even though he hadn't meant to. Maybe he would find a way to return them.

He quickly got into bed, surprised at the warmth it provided him. It was much warmer than his cot at the Dursleys. The sheets appeared to be silk and the down comforter velvet. It was all a deep red colour. He blew out the lantern and went to sleep.

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Draco stood by the door to his lifemate's room, listening to the sound of the boy's heartbeat and his breathing. As the breathing evened out, he risked opening the door slightly. The room was dark, but Draco could see perfectly.

He carefully crept over to the bed, not making a sound. He sat on the edge of the bed, watching his lifemate sleep. The boy truly was beautiful, but so small and thin. Draco resisted the urge to pull back the covers and check his mate for injuries. He didn't want to wake the boy up, and it could wait until morning. The boy was exhausted. It bothered him that he didn't even yet know the raven-haired boy's name. He wondered how he had wound up at the Dursleys.

There would be time for questions in the morning. For now he contented himself with watching his mate. Draco's teeth nudged his bottom lip and he was reminded of the fact that he needed to feed soon. He had been careful not to breathe around the boy, but he knew that his control wouldn't last. It had been days since he had fed from a dunk in the alley behind the local tavern. He hadn't drank much then either, as the man's blood had tasted so dirty. He had been hunting a stag in the forest when he had come across his lifemate's scent. Draco knew that he should go hunt an animal now, but he was loath to drink another's blood after he had finally found his lifemate. He decided to wait until morning to see how strong his lifemate was and how he reacted to what Draco had to tell him. Draco continued to watch his mate, mesmerized by the rhythmic breathing of the boy as he slept.

Something that Draco himself hadn't done in decades.


	4. To Heal Him

**Another very short chapter. On another note, I am taking my stories off a weekly schedule. I am finding it very hard to write that way. I'm going to start posting when I have a new chapter ready, which may be more or less often, we shall have to see. I do however, want this story done by September, when university starts. So fingers crossed.**

Harry awoke, warm and comfortable. He opened his eyes, trying to figure out where he was. His memories came flooding back to him. Right. He had been sold. Harry wondered what he was expected to do, but decided that he should get dressed in Ron's clothes again and wait for his master to call on him. As he sat up to do this, he noticed Mr. Malfoy watching him intently from the end of the bed.

Harry yelped, scrambling up against the head board, curling up in a protective position. As his senses returned to him, he realized that his master would probably be insulted and angered by his response. If his master wished to make use of his purchase right away, there was nothing he could do about it. Harry relaxed his posture and dropped his head, doing his best to appear submissive. "Please forgive me master, I was startled."

"Look at me." Harry did as requested, surprised by Mr. Malfoy's soft tone. He didn't appear to be angry. Harry was very confused.

"First of all, you do not need to call me master. You may call me Draco." Harry became even more confused. His master was allowing Harry to call him by his first name? Was it a trick? Would he be punished as soon as he tried it for being disrespectful? There was only one way to find out.

"As you wish Draco." Harry braced himself for the blow, but none ever came. He glanced at Draco, but the blonde had not moved. Instead he asked Harry a question.

"And what may I call you?"

"Anything you like, M-Draco." Harry was quick to reply.

Draco sighed. He wished that his mate wasn't so afraid of him, what had the boy faced to make him this way? "What is your name?"

"Harry, sir."

"May I call you that?" If Harry had been surprised before, now he was dumb founded. His master was asking his permission?

"If you would like sir." At this Harry bowed his head once more.

"Look at me." Again, Harry was quick to obey. "I want to know what you want. Would you like me to call you Harry?" Harry paused. Was this a trick? The last one hadn't been.

"Yes." He answered quietly, lowering his head.

"Then I shall." Harry looked up, surprised. Draco sighed. "Harry, you do not have to be afraid of me. I will not hurt you. He continued to stare at Harry, contemplating him for a moment. "Come out from under the covers, let's have a look at you."

Instantly Harry was frightened again. Draco may seem nicer and to care, but he was no different than Harry had first expected. All he wanted from Harry was a sex toy. He felt betrayed, but he knew he should have expected it.

Draco was confused as to why Harry's heart rate had spiked again. He had finally gotten his lifemate to calm down and now he was terrified again. As Harry struggled to quickly get out of the blankets, keeping his head bowed once more, Draco realized how his last request had sounded. Reaching forward, he placed his hand on Harry's knee, wincing when Harry flinched away from his touch.

"Harry." Draco said, as gently as possible. "I am not going to hurt you. I promise. I just want to look over your injuries."

Harry's head shot up. Draco wasn't going to rape him? This was news. What did he want from him then? And how did Draco know he was injured?

Draco crawled across the bed, immediately noticing Harry's bruised chest. "That must hurt." He commented. "The ride can't have helped either. I am sorry for that." Harry was shocked, to say the least. Why was Draco sorry? He hadn't caused it, and the ride wasn't necessarily his fault either. "I'll get some cream that should help with the bruising," He said, gently pressing on Harry's ribs to check that they were only bruised, not broken. It disturbed him how thin his lifemate was. His ribs stuck out, and he seemed to be mostly skin and bones. Something that Draco would have to rectify soon enough. "Let me see your cuts."

Draco gently pulled one of Harry's arms towards him. Once he was content that none of the cuts were serious, or had glass scabbed into them, he switched arms. He then examined Harry's face. "Where did this scar come from?" he asked, curious about the lightning shaped scar on Harry's forehead that he hadn't noticed before.

"I don't remember." Harry answered, surprised at how gentle Draco was being with him. Draco suddenly crawled off the bed and headed for the door. HE returned minutes later with a cloth, some water and some jars. He soaked the cloth and gently cleaned away the excess blood that had dried on Harry's face and arms. He then applied an ointment to the cuts. Once he was content that the cuts were cared for, he applied the cream to Harry's chest as carefully as possible. Content that that was done, he checked over the rest of Harry's body, healing the other bruises that he found there. Draco then carefully bound Harry's cuts, so that the ointment wouldn't cause them to stick t the sheets.

"I'll be back in a bit. I have to go to town and get you some food. We'll talk more once I return.

As Draco left, softly closing the door behind him, Harry pondered his bizarre choice of wording. It almost sounded as if Draco didn't need the food. Strange. He curled back up under the covers. It was also strange how gentle his new master was being with him. He had even promised not to hurt him. Not that promises meant much that were made to servants, but still. Harry decided to sleep and think about it later.


	5. To Care For Him

_**Hey! An enormous thanks to Kalsifer for letting me know that I uploaded the wrong chapter! Oops…. I hope that none of you read it and got confused. If it made sense, you read the right one, so don't worry. I accidently added a chapter of my veela story instead… Anyway, thank you for all the amazing reviews! I am glad you are enjoying the story so far. Sorry you guys had to wait so long for this! Good news, the next chapter is typed up and I just have to edit it and then you guys should have it in a few days! **_

Draco softly entered Harry's room, very pleased with himself. Despite the fact he hadn't eaten anything in decades, he thought he had managed to get all of the basics. He had almost made Harry breakfast and brought it to him, but he didn't know what the boy would like. He was also concerned with how thin his lifemate was. If he wasn't used to regular meals, he might make him sick by giving him food that was too rich or simply too much of it. In that case, they would have to build up his meals slowly to get him back on a healthy diet.

On the way back from town, Draco had drained a rabbit. It would tide his thirst over for a little bit. Even if Harry let Draco drink from him, he wouldn't be able to take much with the shape the boy was in. That was if Harry was willing to let him drink at all. Draco had promised not to hurt his lifemate, and he fully intended to keep that promise.

Approaching the bed, Draco called out to Harry. "Come on Harry, time to get something to eat." When Harry didn't awake, Draco reached out and gently placed a hand on the smaller boy's shoulder. Harry's eyes flew open and he instinctively flinched away from the touch, before recognizing Draco. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for, I am sorry for startling you. Come, let's get you something to eat."

Harry slowly got up, throwing on Ron's servant clothes before following Draco. Draco watched Harry silently, worried about his lifemate's strong reaction. Just what had he gone through? Surveying Harry, he noted that they were going to have to go into town soon to get Harry some new clothes. For now he would have to borrow some of Draco's.

As they entered the kitchen, Draco spoke once more. "Let's get you something to eat, then you can have a bath and we'll get you into some clean clothes. You'll have to borrow some of mine for now. They will be a little big, but we'll go to town tomorrow to get you some of your own.

Harry was shocked, which was quickly becoming a regular occurrence. Not only was his new master going to let him borrow his own clothing, he was going to allow Harry to have some of his own. He'd only ever had Dudley's hand me downs before this.

Draco's voice broke into Harry's thoughts. "Then we'll talk, we have much to discuss. For now, when was the last time you ate?"

Harry paused, looking uncertain if he should answer, which confirmed Draco's fears. "Tell me Harry." Draco commanded softly.

"F-four days ago."

Draco sighed. "How about just some chicken broth to start then? I don't want to upset your stomach. We'll get you some more to eat later." As he prepared the broth for Harry he said "You will never go hungry in this house. Ever. I promise that. "

There was that word again. Promise. Harry wondered whether or not he should believe Draco, but right now he was just thankful for the food. He sipped it slowly, savouring each spoonful of the watered down chicken broth, although part of him was tempted to down the entire bowl before someone could take it away.

Draco watched him with a sad look in his eyes, but he made no move to get any food for himself. Perhaps he had eaten while Harry slept?

"I'll go prepare the water for your bath. Wait here." Draco left the room, moving with a grace Harry had never seen in anyone but his master. Harry looked around the kitchen. It appeared not to have been used in years. That was odd. Perhaps Draco didn't normally live here, but at another estate? It was possible. Many wealthy families had several estates, and no one knew much of anything about the mysterious Malfoys.

"It's ready." Draco announced, appearing in the kitchen once more. "I heated the water while you slept. I hope I added enough cold water to it. If it's still too hot, let me know." He led Harry to a large bathroom with a large tub in it. "Just call if you need anything. I'll go find you some clothes to change into."

Harry could scarcely believe it. His master was going to allow him to bathe in warm water? He had never bathed in warm water before. That was a privileged for the high class. Not servants. His master was most certainly strange. He quickly undressed and cleaned his body and hair with the soap he found. Once he was clean, he allowed himself just to relax in the cooling water. It felt so good, so peaceful. A knock at the door interrupted his relaxation. Draco stuck his head in. "Here's a towel you can use and some clean clothes." He said, gently setting them on the table by the wash basin.

"Thank you Draco." Harry answered.

"You are very welcome." Draco replied with a smile. After Draco left, Harry climbed out of the tub and dried himself off. He changed into the simple black pants and green button up shirt that Draco had left him. They were slightly big and finer than anything he had ever worn in his life. He made a mental note to empty the tub outside later. Draco didn't appear to have any other servants to do it, and it was servant's work.

He stepped into the hallway, looking for Draco. He was scared to move, afraid to get lost in the large manor. "Draco?" He called softly.

"Coming." Came the reply. A moment later the blonde appeared. "Come on Harry, time to talk. Would you like a cup of tea?"

Harry assured him that he was fine and Draco led him to what appeared to be a sitting room. He gestured for Harry to sit on the couch, while he sat in the arm chair across from him.

Draco sighed to himself. So many things to discuss. Where to start? "First of all," he began, "there are some things you should know about me. I live here alone. I so not keep any servants and that includes you. Although you may not yet feel that way, you are a guest. I will explain more in a minute. " He added at the confused look on Harry's face. "My horse's name is Nimbus. If you would like, I can get you a horse and teach you to ride." Harry was shocked. His master wanted to buy him a horse? Then again, he had insisted a moment ago that he wasn't actually Harry's master. "You are allowed anywhere in the manor, however I suggest you take care not to get lost. It is rather large." Draco finished, his eyes still on Harry.

"Now I want to know more about you. Who hurt you Harry?"

"My uncle." Harry murmured, breaking the eye contact and looking down into his lap.

"Your uncle?" Draco asked, confused. Vernon hadn't mentioned Harry having any family.

"Master Dursley." Harry replied, his head still down.

"That man is your uncle?" Draco exclaimed, appalled that anyone would treat their nephew as a servant, let alone abuse them and then sell them to a complete stranger like a piece of livestock.

"Yes." Came the quiet reply.

"Well, you will never have to see him again. You are mine now."

At that choice of words, Harry grew even more confused. Hadn't Draco said just a minute ago that Harry was his guest, not his slave?

Draco sighed. "I guess I should explain. You are free to leave at any time. I will not keep you here. However, I hope that you will stay." He took a deep breath as thought trying to work up the courage to say something.

"I'm a vampire Harry."


	6. To Tell Him

_Hey guys, sorry that this took longer than planned. University has started for the year and I am already swamped. I don't know when the next update will be. Thank you for sticking with me and reading my stories, despite the irregular updates._

Harry's eyes widened and he subconsciously pulled his knees up to his chest in a protective position. No. Vampires didn't exist. There were myths, nothing more. Although it did explain a few things. The lack of food, the state of the house, the lack of servants-

Oh God! Did Malfoy drain his servants dry? Was that why there weren't any others? Because Malfoy used them as snacks? But then why had Draco assured Harry that he could leave? Did he want to hunt him down?

Harry knew very little of his new master, but it certainly didn't fit with how kind and gentle he had been so far. Unless he had been trying to lure Harry into a false sense of security? But that didn't seem to fit either. Even if it was true that Draco was a monster, so far he had been kinder to Harry that his human uncle had ever been.

"Harry." Draco's hesitant voice broke into his thoughts. "Please hear me out. Then you can leave if you want."

Harry raised his head, meeting Draco's eyes. He nodded. Draco sighed – in relief? Harry wasn't quite sure.

"First I will tell you a little bit about vampires. I am faster and stronger than any human and I can be out in sunlight. That is a myth. I don't sleep in a coffin; in fact, I don't sleep at all. You can't kill me by driving a stake through my heart. I am very, very hard to kill. I feed regularly, both on humans and animals, although I do not kill my human donors."

"Is that what you want from me?" Harry asked quietly. "A source of food?"  
"No Harry. I want so much more than that. Please let me explain." Draco's voice was pained, something that surprised Harry. "Every vampire has a lifemate. They find their lifemates by smell, often decades after they are turned. Some never find theirs. A lifemate is everything to a vampire. Not only is the lifemate's blood far more sustaining and delicious for the vampire, but they are also the soulmate of the vampire. They are a perfect match for them. Once a vampire is bonded to their lifemate, their lifemate will gain their immortality. That is not to say that they can not be killed, but they are harder to kill and will never age."

He paused, looking deep into Harry's eyes. "Harry you are my lifemate."

Well, that certainly wasn't what Harry had been expecting. He had been fully prepared to be a sex toy or a snack, but Draco wanted him forever. Didn't he?

"What happens when you don't want me anymore?" He asked softly, looking down. With inhuman speed, Draco was crouched in front of Harry.

"I will never not want you. You are my everything. I would do anything for you Harry. If you choose to stay, I will court you. Harry, I will love you forever. There will never be another."

Harry was shocked by the seriousness in those eyes. He had never allowed him self to believe that someone would want to spend the rest of their lives with someone as worthless as him, and now this gorgeous, rich man wished to spend forever with him? It was so surreal.

"Now Harry, I want you to choose. You can leave this manor a free man, so anything you want with your life. Or you can stay with me and allow me to court you as my lifemate. We will go at your pace, I will not force you to bond with me before you are ready, nor will I force you to let me drink from you. I will love you and go out of my way to make sure that you are always happy. I don't want you to make this decision as my servant. I want it to be fully your choice. Know that, even if you choose to leave, you will always be welcome here."

Harry paused, although he knew deep down that he had already made his decision. This man had shown him nothing but kindness. Something he had never been given so unconditionally before. "May I ask some questions?" He asked hesitantly.

"Of course you can." Draco seemed delighted that Harry had not instantly refused him.

"How old are you?" He knew it was a very rude question, but it was one he felt he had to ask.

"136." Draco answered after a pause. He eyes searched Harry's for his reaction. "I stopped ageing when I was 19."

Harry gasped slightly at the number. It was much older than he had been expecting. However he was surprised to find that it didn't matter to him. Draco didn't act like a senile old man, nor was he so mature that Harry felt like a dumb child around him. He paused slightly before asking his second question.

"What do you mean by bonding?"

Draco sighed, worried about what Harry's response to his answer would be. He decided that it was best to be blunt. "The bonding takes place the first time a vampire and his lifemate make love to each other."

Harry nodded. That was what he had been expecting to hear. He looked Draco in the eye, searching his face for any sign of betrayal, a lie or malicious intent. He found none, just hope and yearning.

"I want to stay."

Draco's face lit up and he finally stood up from his place crouched on the floor. He held out his hand to Harry. "Then of this moment, you shall never consider yourself my servant again. You are my lifemate and I will prove to you that I can take care of all your needs and ensure your happiness. Forever."


End file.
